Finding Myself

Chapter 10

On the first few weeks of travel, I made it to the Eagles Eyrie where I met some other human civilization. Over the season, I had made my way past the misty mountains where a storm had hit but luckily I was given shelter by the men who dwell there. After that I proceeded to follow the East Road where I eventually reached Bree. It was a small place where men and hobbits dwelt side by side. Still, with every population I happen upon, conversations and readings reveal not a clue to what I was. Although, there was a time when I took lodging at the Prancing Ponies, some of the older folk, not the wiser folk, do not let age-convolute wisdom, suggested that I made it to Emyn Uial(Hills of Evendim), it was rumored that an all-knowing man lived there and would answer questions if the price was right. It was also said that he had the largest collection of tomes of all Middle Earth.

When I headed for my rented room for the night, thank Kili for the extra gold he'd given me, the bartender pulled me aside and advise, "Young girl, whatever tales of Evendim shrew you've heard, keep no mind of it, most people who venture there never returned, there's something fishy 'bout that place. I've warned you."

As a true-hearted fool, I did not heed any warning. And that would be my regret for a long-cursed time.

I knocked on the door leading to the large house among the mountains, the doors looked ancient, painted a mouldy shade of purple. No one answered on the first knock. I left a few more seconds pass before I knocked again.

This time, an impatient, high shrill voice shouted from inside, "Who is it? It's bloody too early in the morning." The door remained unopened. The voice is too high too be a man, there's only so much you can trust from bloody drunk people in the bar, I thought.

"Good morning ma'am, I am truly sorry for calling on you so early in the morning, but there are somethings which I require your wisdom to uncover. Would you permit my entrance so that we shall talk inside?" I asked in the most polite tone I could muster.

There were multiple unlocking sounds from inside the door, one...two...... six clicks were heard before the door opened barely enough for me to see an eye peering out through the crack. The woman's eyes where the same colour as the door, making it more eerie.

"Sylvia Knightley, daughter of the Lord of Dale making your acquaintance. Again, apologies for the early disruption." I plastered a sweet smile on my face.

With a scoff, and some muttering like, "Dale? Where the hell is Dale?", "what's a young girl doing here..." she stepped back and allowed me to enter.

I took my hood off as I entered the house and I surveyed the place from left to right. There were messy piles of paper littered all over, some stacks were laying dangerously close to the open fireplace. In contrast, the shelves were standing packed and organized in the background. They shelves were topped high, right up into the ceiling. Did I forget to mention that the visible area was about 3 levels high?

As I turned to look at where the old woman was, I had lost sight of her. Suddenly, a hand was placed on my shoulder causing me to jump and spin around.

There stood the woman, opposite to her shrill, old voice, she appeared only middle-aged, barely having any grey roots in her hair. She had large purple eyes and dark red hair, messy and tangled. Her nails were long and sharp and painted grass green. She dressed in a simple pale dress but it looked worn and dusty. All my assessments about her was that there were a lot of contrasting descriptions.

"What do you want?" she said in a business-like tone. Pushing her hair back in an impatient air.

"Madam, I would like information, there is a question plaguing my mind that I wish to solve. None have been able to answer my question since I set off on my journey for answers a year ago. I will pay handsomely if you could give me some leads."